Banh Chung Demo at Xanh Bistro Jan. 29

It's almost time for Tết, which means huge branches of yellow hoa mai flowers will start sprouting all over Little Saigon; red banners reading, "Chúc mừng năm mới" (Happy New Year) will be strung in every shop and restaurant; and food shops everywhere will explode with blocks of sticky rice with pork and mung beans, carefully wrapped in green lá dong or banana leaves and tied with raffia.

Xanh Bistro will host a banh chung-making workshop at 4 p.m. on Jan. 29; the event is free, but reservations are required. Call the restaurant at (714) 531-2030.

If you can't make it for the demo, there will be a special small-plates menu available for Tết from Jan. 29 through Feb. 5 that includes bánh chưng with pickled vegetables, a pork and egg hot pot, lotus root salad with water celery and shrimp, and xôi lạp xưởng (sticky rice with sweet sausage and scallion oil).